Lehigh Gorge State Park (1-May-2016)

With a cold rain falling I set out to the Glen Onoco Access of the Lehigh Gorge State Park yet again. There is a seemingly never ending amount of trash to be removed from the banks of the Lehigh in this area. This trip was mainly meant to scout for more tires further down river, of course I took a bag for other items as well.

I took the trail to Lock #2 this time instead of going right to the river and working my way down the bank. This way I would cover more ground quickly and not get sidetracked with a lot of other trash before I got to the new areas for tires. 

This is Lock #2. I think it is awesome that trees have grown directly in the center of the lock in a strait line. From here I took the path on the far end down to the river. Immediately I started finding tires. 

At first glance I didn't think there was much I could do about this tire. On a closer inspection though I realized it was the tire itself was not reenforced with metal which many of them are. It also had a little bit of dry rot. The combination of those two things allowed me to rip it apart. I had no special tools, just pulled it apart and out from around the tree.

Even when people try their best they still loose things in the river. I have found several pairs of glasses with the safety cords still attached. Found four pairs total for the day. 

Found a good number of items right at the waters edge and plucked some other things out of the river itself. 

Just with a quick look you might not see the two things that had been removed in these before and after shots. Two tires were in the river here. I am very glad that I checked this section on the trip. I don't know how much rain we are expecting, but the river is sure to rise and items like this could have been taken further down stream.

I made two piles with the tires I had discovered on this search. I put them far enough away from the river that they will still be there tomorrow, no mater how much the river rises. It looks as though I will be taking around ten out tomorrow, including the ones I found yesterday.

With the rain I didn't see a single person on any of the trails, but the river was a different story. I had first a group of kayakers, then a small group of rafters. The rafts were labeled as one of the local rafting companies, my guess is that today was a training day. 

I was soaked by the end and I didn't have nearly as much trash as I wanted to remove. There is so much still down there. I really don't know how to convey to you the reader how big of a problem this actually is along all of our rivers. I am beginning to think I am the only one who actually realizes how much trash is out there. 

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

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